Colitis in Young Kids

Colitis in young kids can be a scary realization for any parent. After all, the idea of a chronic disease, one in which they will forever have to manage and learn to live with, is a lifelong commitment that surely any parent would not want for their precious child. However, as intimidating as the idea of colitis in your young kid may be, it is one disease that can be managed and for which the prognosis is generally good.

Symptoms of Colitis in Young Kids

Colitis and Crohn’s Disease have very similar signs and symptoms when actively in a flare, all of which are brought about by the chronic inflammation of the inflammatory bowel disease. Some of the symptoms of colitis include:

Frequent fecal urgency

Chronic diarrhea which may or may not have blood present in the stool

Uncomfortable and painful abdominal cramping

Unexpected weight loss

Bleeding of the intestines

In some cases, fever

Experts claim that the symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis in young kids and in adults both have very similar, if not identical, symptoms with one major difference being present within young kids who suffer from colitis. Pediatricians have said that a large number of their inflammatory bowel disease patients suffering with Colitis were diagnosed after having growth delays reported. There has been a linked drawn between stunted growth in young kids with Ulcerative Colitis, as well as sexual maturity. The reasoning behind this growth interruption is due to the bone density factor that comes from a lack of nutrients being absorbed in Colitis patients.